Improvement in scaffolds



NPHERS, FHOTo-LITHOGRAPHEH. WASHINGYON, D C.

NicnoLAs Maerz, or mutans,- PENNSYLVANIA.

Leners Patent No. 111,660, dated. February 7, 1871. e

iMPRovEMENT IN scAEFoLDs..

The Schedule referred vto in theseJLet-ters Patent andimaking. part of the saine.

To-all 'whom it may concern.:

-Beit known that I, NICHOLAS MAnTz,of Ilykens,

in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented 'certain new and useful Improvements in Scaffolding; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawingof the same which makes part of Vthis specification, and in whichv Figure A1 represents a. vertical longitudinal section of a scaffolding embracing my improvements, and l' Figure 2, a view in perspective of onesectionfnf the same.

My invention relates to scaiiblding used in buildingfplastering ceilings, and for gathering fruit; and I It consists in the construction of the same so that 'its several partsmay be pnt together, adjusted to the required height, and braced in a manner to `insure both strength and safety, as will hereafter be more fully described. A

In the accompanying -drawing the scattolding has two hinged sections, A, upon which the severalparts-- are reared and supported. Each supporting sectionv consists vof four legs, unitedin pairs by ladder-rounds and hinged at their upper ends so as to be opened and closed to lessen or increase their height. Each ot' these sections carries a vertical rack or ladder, B,-

'which supports. and carries the working platform C between them.

The vertical supports B are secured and braced to the hinged sections A in the following manner: They are placed the desired height vertically between the upper ends of thel hinged sections, and a supporting-board, D, is placed upon the correspond- 'ing rounds of each pair of legs.

Within a cavity, a, in said board a round, b, of the vertical support is adjusted, and the latter is clamped in this position by a wedge, E, inserted between the next lower round, b', and those, c, of the hinged section, on which the board D rests, as shown in tig. 1.

lhe vertical sections B are braced laterally by means of wedges F, inserted between their side timbersvand the legs of the hinged sections, and also endwise by means of bnckledstraps G passed around two of the ronndsc of the hinged legs and through loops d, at'the lower end of the support, so that the foot of this support being braced on each side, it cannot turn upon its seht a so long asfthe straps are fastened in place. Y

The working platform G is secured to and between these vertical supports 'by means of pillow-blocks H, to` which platform they are attached by-screwbolts e; as shown in'iig. 1. lhese pillow-blocks are provided with upper and lower hooks, f, so formed as to hook over two of the rounds b, and thus lock them to the verticalsupports.

The upper hooks have a sufficient amount of spring to allow them to be sprung over the rounds, so that the pillow-block H can be readily attached to and detached from the rounds when desired.

For -the purpose of bracing the working platform C so as to render it stiff, I secure a board, I, to `and between the rounds b of the vertical support by means of a buckled strap, J, fastened to one end of the braceboard and one of the roi'indsnbfwhile the board vresting upon said roundextends upward in an inclined position with' its end abutting against a cleat, g, on

the under side of the platform, and thus forms a diagonal brace to theA latter; and there being such a brace in opposite directions at each end of the platform, and each brace being carried by the vertical supports of the platform, the lattercannot sag nor have any endwise movement so long as its supports remain braced to thehinged sections.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the liinged'sections A, the vertical ladder-supports B,

and the working platform G of the scaffolding admit of being increased and diminished in height relatively to each other and independently of one another, and

that each is so braced as to firmly support one another',

rendering thestrueture iirm andl safe in any position in which it may be placed.

.The legs A. of the hinged sections A may be provided'with extensible supplementalflegs K, having metallicpoliuts to take into th ground.v

i The supplemental legs K ar notched on their outer sides, and secured to the hinged legs A' by staples h, hinged to the latter, and fitting intosaid notches in such manner asqto clamp the two legs together, as shown in g. 2 of the drawing.

AThese supplemental legs K also admit of increasing or diminishing the height of the# scaffolding, andalso ffor-'the purpose ot'allowing it to. beadjusted lower at the side next to the building, so as to cause it tol lean inward, and thereby avoid all danger of turning over sidewise by the pressure of the workman against Athe building. .lhe supplemental legs K are clam-pcd -by the upward inclination of the 'staples so that they cannot become separated, because the greater the weight the tighter they are clamped.

.A wedge, L, however, may be drivenbetween these legs to prevent any possible chance for them to become separated, as shown in tig. 2. A

The `metallic points or feet t may be fitted int-o blocks j, when the scaffolding is used in soft ground, to prevent them from sinking too much.

TheA ends ofthe platform U arel provided with slots It', through which the clamping-'screws ,e pass, so as to allow the platform to be madel longer or shorter, -as

.may be desired.

-I have deseribedthe diagonal braces I as being secured to the vertical supports, but it'isobvions they 2. The vertical supporting-ladder 'section B, sustained by one of'its rounds hina grooved seat, a, clamped' vertically and laterallyby wedges E aud F, and endivise by buckled straps G, to the hiugedsections A, as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

NICHOLAS MAR-TZ.

Witnesses:

K y SIMON ZEREING,

WILLIAM Hommes'. 

